She / Her

Tabby is a Pākehā queer femme. She has been working in rainbow communities since she was 15 and founded InsideOUT in 2012 with a passion for making Aotearoa a better place for rainbow rangatahi. Tabby has a degree in Counselling and Addictions and alongside her role with us works part-time as a counsellor for our rainbow communities

They / Them / ia

Atirau is a mokopuna of Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata & Ngāti Porou of te Tairāwhiti (East Coast). They are a kaiako of te reo Māori utilising creative approaches to (re)awaken the language of this whenua within the hearts and minds of all who have a desire to learn. Their mahi with Kōaro InsideOUT will go towards supporting, affirming and celebrating rangatahi takatāpui+ within Kura Kaupapa and the development and delivery of our training to kaupapa Māori services.

She / Her

Rosie is a Pākehā queer femme with English, Irish and Scottish ancestry who was lucky enough to grow up in the hills of Ngaio in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She studied sociology and public health in Ōtepoti. She is passionate about work that focuses on the stories that people inherit about identity, and how these inform how people engage with the world and themselves. She enjoys reading and watching all sorts of queer stuff, doing karaoke with mates and being near any kind of water!

Ia / He / Him

Riwhi is a takatāpui lesbian who has whakapapa to Kai Tahu and Te Ātiawa. Before this role, he had been volunteering with InsideOUT Kōaro for 5 years. He’s passionate about mental health, peer support, and decolonisation. When not working or studying Kaitiakitanga (Māori Resource Management) and Anthropology at Vic, he can usually be found playing DND, designing his own TTRPGs, or obsessing over wetlands.

They / Them

June is a Pākehā, disabled nonbinary person who grew up and lives in Te Whanganui-a-tara. They have volunteered with InsideOUT at Shift Hui since 2018, and have a background in illustration, graphic design, as well as teaching rangatahi. They are passionate about making queer spaces accessible, and helping young people to have the safety and freedom they deserve. In their free time, June loves spending time in the garden, playing cosy games, and creating things, especially printmaking, painting, and sewing.

He / Him / Dia

Red is an Indonesian trans guy based in Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta. With a background in hospitality, he started as a volunteer with InsideOUT before further pursuing work for rainbow community development. He is driven to contribute to a future that would benefit their younger queer self. Aside from an interest in great food and coffee, they are also a newbie drummer and budding lifter. Outside of work or the gym, you’ll find him supporting local bands and musicians.

They / Them

Jaz is a queer pākehā based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. With a background in sociology & gender studies, their mahi intertwines with their passions of interrupting social injustice, emboldening queer liberation, and fostering radical harm reduction. Jaz was born & raised in Te Waiharakeke and is at their best when dancing, spending time with nature, or connecting with their niblings. Jaz has worked as an education facilitator for almost 5 years delivering advocacy and education for rainbow communities across Aotearoa and is proudly tangata tiriti with a core focus on decolonisation mahi. They also love tattoos, beech forests, mid-century interiors, fashion and drag performance.

She / Her

Saviiey is a Fa’afafine who has been involved in many youth development, education, and performing arts initiatives. She is a massive advocate for the Māori and Pasifika Rainbow community of Porirua. Saviiey is the current recipient of the Aniva Arts Residency through Creative NZ and is also the Chairman of Ngā Uri o Whiti Te Rā Mai Le Moana Trust. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Māori Performing Arts and Primary Education through Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and a Master’s in Education through Victoria University.

He / Him

Alex has been involved with InsideOUT since 2014 as a volunteer, board member and facilitator, and now supports the organisation’s resource development. He is currently studying towards his PhD and has worked on various community-based studies on improving the health and wellbeing of queer and trans communities in Aotearoa.

She / Her

Hannah is a Pākehā Libra lesbian, living and loving in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She is a parent and step parent to 4 tamariki and 1 cat and has a gorgeous wife, Em. Working for the rainbow community is her absolute passion. When not advocating for queer youth, she is donning a glitter moustache as a cabaret and drag producer and performer.

She / They

Kirsty is originally from Scotland, grew up in Ireland, and now calls Paihia home. She lives with her gorgeous son, two cats, and too many house plants to count! She has a background in youth work and is passionate about mental health awareness. She loves to be creative, read, write poetry, and enjoys aerial yoga and swimming.

She / Her 

Mālō e lelei. I hail from the beautiful islands of Tonga, Rotuma and Fiji. I am a proud young queer woman of Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa. My upbringing in Tongatapu, and my migration to Aotearoa, continues to inspire my passion for serving Māori and Pasifika communities. It is this same passion which encourages me to work, volunteer my time, and learn from a range of different spaces. I love to dance, sing, perform, as well as write. If you couldn’t tell, I love the arts. The arts allow me to express, explore my identity and nostalgia. I am a graduate of Te Wananga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau (AUT) with a Bachelor of Arts double majoring in Social Sciences, and Criminology. I have a strong background in tertiary student politics and am a strong advocate for pasifika youth and the arts. Driven by a passion for intersectionality, I celebrate the unique beauty of each person’s diverse experiences.

She / Her / They / Them / Ia

Danae is a queer, neurodivergent Pākeha person living in the Mataatua rohe on whenua raupatu of Ngāti Awa. Their one true love is eke ngaru (surfing) and they’re dedicated to making surfing accessible. They have a diverse work history including reo Māori broadcasting on iwi radio, flying aeroplanes, teaching te reo Māori to fellow disabled folk, Parliamentary politics and pūtaiao outreach with schools and marae around Te Ika a Māui. They are happiest on the waves, in the air or at home playing video games while their dogs wonder why they’re not receiving Danae’s undivided attention!

They / Them

Dando is a queer Pākehā registered Social Worker who wears many professional hats. They are deeply passionate about queer liberation, supporting survivors of harm, decolonisation and social justice in general. They love digital painting and spending time with their daughter, partner, sister and their cats!

Dando is currently on parental leave until March 2025. Please contact tabby@insideout.org.nz in their stead.

She / They

Zenica (Ngāti Kahu), or Zen, was once a proud Aucklander but has been lovingly humbled after moving to Whanganui a few years ago! Zen is a visual artist and a parent to a very cool small human, and has particular interest in decolonisation, queer liberation, youth development and support, and suicide prevention. Despite the nickname, Zen is often zero chill and all enthusiasm, especially when it comes to… well, most things really. Aroha mai, aroha atu!

They / Them

Jordan hails from the mighty East Coast, Te Tairāwhiti and identifies as takatāpui. They have a strong background in the Arts sector in Aotearoa, and are a strong advocate for the arts, for gender diverse communities and for low-income whānau. A Massey University graduate, Jordan is also a social anthropologist with research focused on indigenizing value in the arts, and the work economy at large. This research ties into their advocacy for low income whānau and communities; championing the value of their time by pushing for pay equity and fair treatment, while also amplifying the value of the arts for the wellbeing of communities.

She / Her

Val is a first generation tauiwi of Scottish and Welsh heritage, who has been active in the queer spaces in Aotearoa since the late 1980s. She has lived through significant social and legislative changes for queer people and brings a wealth of experience and passion for social justice, intergenerational knowledge sharing and activism. She lives in Paekākāriki with her wife and fur babies. Her hobbies include collecting vinyl records and DJing with them and anything to do with the outdoors – including learning to surf.

She / Her

Aroha (Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Raukawa) is motivated to help improve the wellbeing of people in her community. Currently finishing a Health Science degree and working for InsideOUT, she is excited to be a part of creating spaces and environments where Rainbow Rangatahi are listened to and supported.

They / Them

Mason is a non-binary queer pākehā registered social worker. Born and raised in Ōtautahi, they love Te Waipounamu and photographing nature that catches their eye around the motu. You will often find them wherever the animals are in any given situation or reading a good book cuddled up with their cat and two dogs. They are passionate about intersectionality and the beauty that each person’s diverse and interconnected identity brings to the world.

They / Them

Meihana is a takatāpui (Kāi Tahu and Kati Mamoe), non-binary person who is passionate about working within the queer community as co-chair for Dunedin Pride and advocating for LGBTQIA+ rangatahi. Originally from Kāpiti, they moved to Ōtepoti in 2018 for University and loved it so much they never left. Meihana enjoys curling up on the couch with their cat and a book or some crochet (usually watching Grey’s Anatomy or Taskmaster), as well as exploring the wonderful nature Aotearoa has to offer!